Nothing completes the exterior of your property like a professionally trimmed lawn. However, it takes a lot of effort and time to maintain a well-manicured lawn. Since mowing is tiresome, you might be wondering how you can make this task easier.
You can apply a number of different strategies to make your lawn easier to mow. These include preparing both your mower and lawn before each session, mowing your lawn regularly and at the right time, using the highest lawnmower setting, or just choosing a type of grass that requires less mowing.
Like always, there is a lot more to it than that. Let me elaborate:
Preparing Your Lawnmower
One of the main factors determining how fast you mow your lawn is the condition of the lawnmower itself. Before mowing, you need to ensure that the blades are sharp. If the blades are dull, the work will be more tedious and you will damage the grass since the blade will tear into it instead of cutting it properly.
Continuous usage of dull blades results in weak grass which has low resistance to insects, diseases, and harsh environmental conditions.
If you’re using a gas-powered lawnmower, always ensure that the mower has enough oil and gas. There is nothing worse than stopping in the middle of a mowing session because you ran out of gas.
If you want some additional tips on how to make your lawnmower run better, check out this article I wrote.
Mow the Lawn at the Right Time
Are you aware that mowing in the evening is easier than in the morning? During the morning hours, the grass is usually wet since it has dew on it.
This wetness makes the mower have less maneuverability and cut inefficiently, which could lead to a damaged lawn. Wet grass will clog your lawnmower and make it hard for the blades to perform at optimum levels. Additionally, wet grass is slippery which can cause severe accidents if you aren’t careful.
It is also not advisable to mow during the day when the weather is hot to avoid heat exhaustion. You should also avoid mowing when the weather is overly hot as it may dry your grass and prevent its fast recovery after cutting. Therefore, the best time to mow is during the evening when both the grass and the climate are cool.
After mowing in the evening, the grass will have more than 12 hours to recover before being hit by the sun. The evening is also the ideal mowing time since the grass is dry, making the mower move and cut efficiently.
Mow Regularly
One of the main ways to avoid having a hard time when mowing is ensuring the grass is always short. If you let the grass overgrow, it will be difficult and more time-consuming. If it already happened, don’t worry – you can read more about mowing overgrown grass here.
Make sure you practice a regular mowing schedule depending on the season.
If you have cool-season grass, you should mow less frequently during the dry season to prevent it from drying. However, you should frequently mow during the wet seasons to prevent the grass from overgrowing.
Some grasses may require mowing once per week, while with others you can get away with mowing every other week. I generally recommend mowing once every week – this way you can use minimum effort to keep your lawn in order.
Use the Highest Lawnmower Setting
Though you might be tempted to mow the lawn at lower heights so that the grass needs more time to regrow, you should stick to using the top height setting. You should always use the one-third rule, i.e., only cut ⅓ of the grass height.
Cutting only a third of the grass’ height will promote the development of a deep root system that makes the grass firm and drought-resistant. Additionally, they will smother the weeds making it easier to mow.
Select the Right Lawnmower
One of the most straightforward ways to make your lawn easy to mow is by using the right lawnmower. The suitable lawnmower will depend on the size and terrain of your backyard. If your lawn is large, you will need a powerful mower to finish the task faster.
You can invest in a gas-powered lawnmower with a large deck, or if you have multiple acres to mow, you should consider getting a riding lawnmower.
Alternatively, you can purchase a robotic lawnmower that you can set to mow without going to the garden yourself. Just keep in mind that these mowers aren’t a good fit for large lawns because they are limited by their battery.
Prepare the Lawn
If your lawn has a lot of bushes and various objects laying around, it will be difficult to mow. Before you start mowing, prepare the lawn by removing rocks, furniture, and debris from it. Rocks and other debris can damage the lawnmower’s blades.
If you have trees around the garden, you can trim their lower branches to make the area more accessible.
Choose a Grass Variety that Requires Less Mowing
You can reduce mowing time by planting grass types that require minimal maintenance. For example, the Kyoto Dwarf Mondo grass and Black Mondo grass require less mowing than most types. The Kyoto Dwarf is drought-resistant and only grows up to 4 inches high. Therefore, they do not need to be frequently mowed.
You can also consider planting slow-growing fescues in your garden. These types will only require about five mows each year.
Make Your Lawn Less Grassy
One of the most creative ways to make your lawn easier to mow is by making it less grassy. Here are some of the most popular options:
- Plant a flower garden: You can set aside a section of your lawn to plant flowers. Wildflowers beautify your home, require less maintenance, and reduce the mowing area.
- Landscaping beds: Spice up your garden with landscaping beds that require less maintenance, such as succulent beds and rock gardens.
- Installing terraces on sloppy areas
- Adding mulch around the flower gardens and trees
If you make your lawn less grassy, you will reduce the area you need to mow, making it easy and less time-consuming.